Conditional Formatting based on Query/Table

[DanKoz]

I have a report in which exam (test) responses are displayed. If the answers are wrong I want them to appear in red.



Using the Conditional Formatting dialog box I am able to successfully turn the incorrect answers red if I hard code the correct answer in the dialog box:
e.g. Field Value Is not equal to "True" (then make the text red)
This works fine.

However, if I use the expression builder to point to a table or query field that has the correct answer (instead of hard coding "True") the conditional formatting does not work.
e.g. Field Value Is not equal to [qryName].[Answer1] (then make the text red)
This does NOT work.

I tried comparing to fields in a table instead of a query and it still does not work.

Does the table or query somehow have to be linked to the report as a datasource? Can I not just point to any table or query in the database?

Thanks for your suggestions.

Dan

[Robeen]

My experience with conditional formatting in report design view is that there is a limit to how fancy you can get with it.

I was thinking of how I would do it to get my incorrect answers in red on the report & the easiest way I could come up with [yes - I usually go with the simplest way of doing things!] was:

Create a query that matches answers sudents' answers with the correct answers and if they match have a new field in the Query that has the value 'Correct' if the answers match & 'Incorrect' if they do not.

Then, base your report on the query & look for 'Incorrect' and change the color to red when it is found.

Your field that shows 'Correct' & 'Incorrect' does not have to be visible on the report.

Let me know if this helps.

I don't know if you can get really fancy with conditional formatting in Access reports - unless you want to research doing it in VBA.

All the best!

[DanKoz]

Thanks for your reply. You solution may yet be one I have to pursue.

However, it appears that right in the Conditional Formatting dialog box there is a link to the expression builder which allows me to specify a table/query and a field, instead of hard coding a value. Yet when I go this route the conditional formatting is not applied. Hard coding the value does work, but not referencing a value in a table/query.

Dan